Arsenal have tried to sign Odsonne Edouard for more than a year now but it looks like the 23-year-old forward has no interest in joining the Gunners.
Last year also, the Premier League side were linked with the Celtic forward but the Scottish side somehow managed to hold onto him. And now that he is all set to leave the SPFL, the Frenchman has chosen to snub Arsenal and join Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City.
The Times are claiming: “Leicester City have won the race to sign Odsonne Édouard from Celtic.
“The coveted 23-year-old is understood to prefer a reunion with Brendan Rodgers, who signed him for Celtic from Paris Saint-Germain for a club record £8million in 2018 after a successful loan spell in Scotland, over a move to either Arsenal or Inter Milan.
“The deal is expected to be sanctioned as soon as Celtic confirm their new manager. They are waiting on approval from Uefa to appoint Ange Postecoglou, having agreed compensation with Yokohama F Marinos, his present club.”
Why has Odsonne Edouard refused to join Arsenal?
Odsonne Edouard has been one of the standout players for Celtic ever since joining them from PSG but the forward has always harboured feelings of playing in the Premier League.
After missing out on him last summer, everyone was sure Arsenal will be able to wrap up the deal this time around. But it seems like the Gunners management have failed once again.
Leicester City are currently being managed by Brendan Rodgers who has a very good relationship with Odsonne Edouard back from their Celtic days. So obviously this is a big reason why the 23-year-old has chosen to snub Arsenal and join the King Power Stadium.
The Gunners are in a mess right now and no top player in their sane mind will want to head to that club and be part of a rebuilding project. Plus, Mikel Arteta already has players like Lacazette, Martinelli and Aubameyang at his disposal so Odsonne Edouard might not be a guaranteed starter there.
But at Leicester, with Jamie Vardy ageing, the Celtic man will have the chance to become the first-choice centre-forward in the 2021-22 season.
Till date, Odsonne Edouard has played in 168 games for Celtic FC, scoring 83 and assisting 37 goals for the Scottish side.
